Angularly adjustable seat



June 27, 1967 J. NAEF ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 23, 1965 mrmm/e L/o HAN/V58 A445:

June 27, 1967 J. NA EF ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23. 1965 Ava-Wm? Joy/1 mvss A445,

United States Patent 3,328,076 ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE SEAT Johannes Naef, Zurich, Switzerland, assignor to Maglum S.A., Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, a corporation of France Filed Feb. 23, 1965, Ser. No. 434,398 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Mar. 3, 1964, 2,656/ 64 3 Claims. (Cl. 297363) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A seat has a swinging back that is spring biased forwardly and is lockable by manipulation of a lever. A pair of tubes telescope one within the other, and the end of the inner tube is a split sleeve with a knurled outer surface. One tube is connected to the back and the other to the seat. A wedge member is axially movable into and out of the split sleeve by manipulation of the lever, thereby selectively to lock and unlock the tubes relative to each other.

The present invention has for object an arm-chair with a tilting back comprising a linear device for locking the angular positions of the back relative to the seat of this arm-chair as well as a resilient return device tending to fold over the back in the direction of the seat.

This hinged seat is distinguishable from known seats of this kind by the fact that the linear locking device comprises two tubular elements sliding one within the other and mechanically connected by their free ends the one to the seat and the other to the back of said armchair and by the fact that the inner tubular element is equipped with a control device provided with an operating member located outside the said tubular element, and mechanically connected to a wedging device located inside said tubular element. a

The accompanying drawing shows diagrammatically and by way of example two embodiments of the linear device for locking the arm chair with tilting back according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows partially, certain parts being seen in section, a first embodiment of the arm-chair, the locking device being in operative position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1, the locking device being however in inoperative position.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the locking device.

FIG. 4 shows partiallyin section and on a larger scale the tubular elements and a part of the wed-ging device.

FIG. 5 shows partially, certain parts being seen in secthe frames 1 and 3 of the arm-chair are placed relative to the hinge joints 4 in such a way that the back tends to be folded over on the seat in the direction of the arrow at.

This arm-chair is further provided with a linear locking device fixing the desired respective angular positions of the back and of the seat of the arm-chair. This linear locking device comprises two tubular elements 7, 8 telescopically engaged one within the other. The inner tubular element 8 is equipped with a control device provided with an operating member 9, located outside said inner tubular element 8, and mechanically connected to a device for locking by wedging, located inside said tubular element 8 and including pincers P and a separating member 10.

In the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the outer tubular element 7 is mounted at A by its free end on the frame 1 of the seat of the arm-chair and extends tion, a second embodiment of the arm-chair, the locking device being in operative position.

FIG. 6 is a'view similar to that of FIG. 5, the locking device being however in inoperative position.

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the locking device of this second embodiment.

The arm-chair object of the invention comprises a seat having a frame 1 and a stufiing 2 as well as a back also having a frame 3 and a stufiing. The frame 1 of the seat and the frame 3 of the back are hinged one to the other by means of hinge joints 4. These frames 1 and 3 are constituted in known manner for example by means of tubular elements. The shape and the dimensions of these frames are determined by the type of arm-chair under consideration. A resilient return action tends to move angularly the back in the direction of the seat, as shown by the arrow a, about the hinge joints 4. This resilient return action is constituted by a coil spring 5 one end of which is secured to a nose 6 of the frame 1 of the seat while the other end of this spring 5 is fixed to the frame 3 of the back. The attachment points of this spring 5 to of the arm-chair. The inner tubular element 8 is mounted at B by its free end on a lever arm 11 integral with the frame 3 of the back. The tubular elements 7, 8 are mounted on the frames 1, 3 in such a way that they may effect movements and in particular rotations or angular movements of low angular amplitude relative to the frames 1, 3. It is thus not necessary to provide hinges at A and B, a mounting through the agency of a flexible connecting member already conferring to the tubes 7 and 8 the necessary freedom for the satisfactory operation of the device.

The outer diameter of the inner tubular element 8 corresponds to the inner diameter of the outer tubular element 7. These tubular elements 7, '8 are telescopically Hand is provided with longitudinal slots 13 so as to form pincers P, elastic in the radical direction, that is to say so as to permit of varying the diameter of the end of said inner tubular element 8.

A separating member 10 is constituted by a nut the outer surface of which isconical and of which the end of smallest diameter is directed towards, or engaged in, the pincers P forming the end of the inner tubular element 8. This separating member 10 is screwed on the end of a rod 14 extending axially inside the inner tubular element 8. A counter-nut 15 permits of fixing the axial position of the separating member or latch 10 relative to the rod 14 and .thus to the pincers P. This pincers P, this separating member 10 and this rod 14 form together a locking device by wedging permitting of preventing any movement of the tubular elements 7, 8 the one relative to the other. This locking device forms an integral part of a control device provided with an operating member 9 disposed inside the tubes 7 and 8 and mechanically connected to this locking device.

This operating member 9 pivots at 16 on a support 17 rigidly fixed on the inner tubular element 8 adjacent to its end mounted on the lever arm 11 of the frame 3 of the back. An actuating lever 18 pivots at 1-9 on said support 17 and passes diametrally right through the inner tubular member 8 through orifices 20. This actuating lever 18 is mechanically connected to the rod 14, disposed axially inside the inner tubular element, by means of a yoke 21 and a pin 22 passing through the said actuating lever 18 as well as the flanges of said yoke 21.

The free upper end 23 of the actuating lever 18 is connected by means of a small rod 24 pivoted at each its ends by means of pins 25, 26 on the one hand on the said upper end 23 of the lever 18 and on the other hand on the end of the arm 27 of the operating member 9.

A stop 28 integral with the support 17 determines the operative position of'the operating member 9 shown in FIG. 1. For this operative position of the operating member 9 the separating member is also in operative position that is to say engaged and forced inside the pincers P forming the end of the inner tubular element 8. Consequently, this separating member causes a radial expansion of the end P of the tube 8, so that the tubes 7 and 8 are from that moment rigidly connected one to the other by wedging of the elements of the pincers P against the inner walls of the tube 7. Moreover, the operating member 9 and the locking device are held in this operative position shown in FIG. 1 by the position of the hinge 26 of the control device which is located above (FIG. 1) a straight line d connecting the spindles 16 and 25. These three spindles 16, 25 and 26 thus constitute the three spindles of a knuckle-joint.

The axial position of the separating member 10 relative to the rod 14 is adjusted in such a way that when the operating member 9 is in operative position, this separating member causes the separating of the pincers of the inner tubular element 8 and the application of its outer scored surface 12 against the inner surface of the outer tubular element 7 with a force such that any movement of the tubular elements 7, 8 one relative to the other is prevented.

In this manner, when the control device for the locking device is in operative position (FIG. 1) the distance separating the attachment points A, B of the tubular elements 7, 8 on the frames 1 and 3 is fixed. Now any angular movement of the back relative to the seat causes a variation of this distance separating the attachment points 'A, B, which results from the disposition of the attachment points A, B on the frames 1, 3. Thus when the control device is in operative position any angular movement of the back relative to the seat of the arm-chair is prevented since any change in the distance separating the attachment points A, B is forbidden.

When the user wishes to change the tilt of the back of the arm-chair, he moves the operating member 9 in the direction of the arrow fwhich, through the action of the small rod 24, the actuating lever 18, the pin 22, the yoke 21 and the rod 14, causes the movement of the separating member 10 in the direction of the arrow g. This movement of the member 10 allows the arms of the pincers P to revert elastically to their normal or rest position, that is to say to a position in which the tubular elements 7, 8 slide freely one within the other. From that moment (FIG. 2) the angular position of the back relative to the seat may be changed at will by the user.

In order to lock the back in any desired angular position relative to the seat of the arm-chair, it suflices for the user to replace the operating member 9 in the operative position (FIG. 1).

The separation between two possible angular positions of the back may be reduced at will, the locking device being linear that is to say that the pincers P is capable, under the action of the separating member 10, of immobilizing the tubular elements 7, 8 in any relative position.

This device for locking the positions of the back of an arm-chair offers numerous advantages of which the main ones are the following:

(c) Its manipulation is very easy.

The second embodiment of the locking device according to the invention is very similar to the one already described.

In this second embodiment, the outer tubular element 7 is constituted by one of the tubes of the frame 3 of the back. The inner tubular element 8 is fixed at C on the nose 6 of the frame 1 of the seat of the arm-chair.

Moreover the shape and the dimensions of the various elements of the control device for this locking device may be slightly different in this second embodiment to those of the corresponding elements already described.

The operation of this second embodiment is absolutely identical to that of the first embodiment described.

It is obvious that numerous constructive variants may be provided without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A seat having a tilting back, resilient means urging the back to fold in the direction of the seat, and means for locking the back in a vertically swung adjusted position relative to the seat, said means comprising two tubular elements sliding one within the other and mechanically connected by their free ends the one to the seat the other to the back, the inner tubular element terminating inside the outer tubular element in spaced arms having a scored outer surface for clampingly engaging the inside of the outer tubular element, said arms having a resiliency that tends to keep them out of locking engagement with the inner surface of the walls of the outer tubular element, wedge means movable into and out of the end of said inner tubular element, and an operating member located outside the tubular elements and mechanically connected to the wedge means for selectively moving said wedge means into and out of the inner end of said inner tubular element thereby selectively to force said scored surfaces into locking engagement with the outer tubular element and to release said locking engagement, respectively.

2. A seat as claimed in claim 1, and a rod on which said wedge means is mounted by means of a screw joint, said rod being disposed inside said inner tubular element and interconnected with said operating member, whereby the wedge means may be screw fittedly adjusted as to position relative to said arms.

3. A seat as claimed in claim 2, and means interconnecting said operating member and said rod so that said operating member is held in its operative position regardless of the pull exerted on the rod by the wedge means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,833,336 5/1958 MCGregOI 297379 X 2,894,566 7/1959 Herider et al 297-363 X 3,024,067 3/1962 B-randoli 297-355 3,133,764 5/1964 Naef 297-367 3,156,004 11/1964 Strien 297-367 X 3,198,577 8/1965 Messori 297365 FOREIGN PATENTS 596,828 10/1957 Italy. 366,461 2/1963 Switzerland.

DAVID I WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

v FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SEAT HAVING A TILTING BACK, RESILIENT MEANS URGING THE BACK TO FOLD IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SEAT, AND MEANS FOR LOCKING THE BACK IN A VERTICALLY SWUNG ADJUSTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE SEAT, SAID MEANS COMPRISING TWO TUBULAR ELEMENTS SLIDING ONE WITHIN THE OTHER AND MECHANICALLY CONNECTED BY THEIR FREE ENDS THE ONE TO THE SEAT THE OTHER TO THE BACK, THE INNER TUBULAR ELEMENT TERMINATING INSIDE THE OUTER TUBULAR ELEMENT IN SPACED ARMS HAVING A SCORED OUTER SURFACE FOR CLAMPINGLY ENGAGING THE INSIDE OF THE OUTER TUBULAR ELEMENT, SAID ARMS HAVING A RESILIENCY THAT TENDS TO KEEP THEM OUT OF LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF THE WALLS OF THE OUTER TUBULAR ELEMENT, WEDGE MEANS MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF THE END OF SAID INNER TUBULAR ELEMENT, AND AN OPERATING MEMBER LOCATED OUTSIDE THE TUBULAR ELEMENTS AND MECHANICALLY CONNECTED TO THE WEDGE MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY MOVING SAID WEDGE MEANS INTO AND OUT OF THE INNER END OF SAID INNER TUBULAR ELEMENT THEREBY SELECTIVELY TO FORCE SAID SCORED SURFACES INTO LOCKING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OUTER TUBULAR ELEMENT AND TO RELEASE SAID LOCKING ENGAGEMENT, RESPECTIVELY. 